WO1999020360A2

WO1999020360A2 - Sports trainer and game

Info

Publication number: WO1999020360A2
Application number: PCT/US1998/021978
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reza Miremadi
Original assignee: Interactive Light, Inc.
Priority date: 1997-10-17
Filing date: 1998-10-16
Publication date: 1999-04-29
Also published as: US5984794A

Description

SPORTS TRAINER AND GAME

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sports training equipment in general,

and more particularly to an arrangement for detecting and evaluating the path and

speed of movement of a game implement during a practice session or game

toward encounter with an imaginary ball or analogous sports object.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

There are already known various constructions of arrangements that

can be used for instance in baseball batting, golf club swinging, or similar game

or sports practice for detecting the path and/or speed or movement of a game

implement, such as a baseball bat or a golf club. It is quite common in this

environment to use light reflected from a moving game or sports implement as

the medium carrying the messages or information about the momentary position

of the implement to a light sensor or a light sensor array. Arrangements of this

type and/or devices and features that may be used in arrangements of this type are

disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 3, 117,451 to Ray; 4, 150,825 to Wilson;

4,306,722 to Rusnak; 4,341,384 to Thackrey; 4,367,009 to Suzki; 4,461.477 to

Stewart; 4,577,863 to Ito and 4,708,343 to D'Ambrosio; and in the British Patent

No. 1, 190,564 to Bottomley. While the game implement movement monitoring or training

arrangements disclosed in some of the above-identified references are quite

sophisticated and should, at least in theory, work well, the fact remains that they

have not gained widespread acceptance among those entrusted with training

players of the particular games at various levels of skill, and certainly not by the

general public. It is believed that one reason for this lack of an enthusiastic

response to such arrangements, besides the relatively high and sometimes even

prohibitive cost of such equipment, is the rather limited amount of information

that can be collected by such equipment and the attendant limited usefulness of

the equipment for finding out what exactly went wrong during a particular

implement swing and what should be done the next time to improve the

implement handling.

So, for instance, in the Ray reference, a reflector provided at the end

of a bat is used to reflect light from a light source to any member of an array of

photosensitive elements. The path of movement of the bat can be followed based

on which of such elements receives or receive such reflected light. In this

arrangement, however, most of the parameters that determine the path of

movement of the ball after being struck by the game implement go undetected,

so that the usefulness of this arrangement for training purposes is quite limited. Similarly, in the arrangement of the Ito reference, the only parameter

that is being detected is the distance of the game implement during its swinging

motion from four light transmitter/receiver (transceiver) devices, such devices

being paired with one another so that the input from both of the devices in each

of such pair is needed to calculate the respective distance. Here again, since the

distance at which the game implement moves above the ground is merely one

parameter in determining the trajectory of the ball after impact with the

implement, the usefulness of this arrangement is severely compromised.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to avoid

the disadvantages of the prior art.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide

a game or training arrangement which does not possess the drawbacks of the

known arrangements of this kind.

Still another object of the present invention is to devise a game

training arrangement of the type here under consideration which renders it

possible to collect a sufficient amount of data of different kinds descriptive of the

path and speed of movement of the implement to be able to reliably predict the trajectory of an imaginary ball after having been impacted by the implement in

a simulated game.

It is yet another object of the present invention to design the above

arrangement in such a manner as to provide an accurate set of measured values

from which such ball trajectory can be reliably determined.

A concomitant object of the present invention is so to construct the

arrangement of the above type as to be relatively simple in construction,

inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and yet reliable in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In keeping with the above objects and others which will become

apparent hereafter, one feature of the present invention resides in an arrangement

for use in training players of a game during a simulated game session in the

correct use of a game implement that has to be moved properly during an actual

game to encounter a ball and impart to the latter a desired trajectory of movement

after impacting the same. The arrangement also serves as an amusement device

whereby a player can simulate a sports activity in the privacy of one's home.

In its broadest aspect, the arrangement is operative for determining

the path and speed of movement of a moving implement, and comprises a

support; means on the support for generating an optical spatial sector extending away from the support along a longitudinal direction, and having a cross-sectional

dimension along a transverse direction normal to said longitudinal direction, said

cross-sectional dimension being known along the longitudinal direction; and

means for optically detecting the longitudinal distance of the moving implement

relative to the support and the speed of the moving implement through the spatial

sector, said detecting means including means for determining an entry time when

the implement entered the spatial sector, an exit time when the implement exited

the spatial sector, and an intensity of light corresponding to the longitudinal

distance relative to the support.

In one embodiment, reflecting means are associated with the

implement, and the detecting means includes photosensitive means on the support

for sensing the intensity of light reflected by the reflecting means. The

determining means is operative for determining the peak of the intensity of the

reflected light. The peak intensity corresponds to the longitudinal distance of the

implement relative to the support.

In another embodiment, the detecting means includes photosensitive

means remote from the support for directly receiving a light beam. The

determining means is operative for determining the valley of the intensity of the

light received by the photosensitive means. The valley intensity corresponds to

the longitudinal distance of the implement relative to the support. More particularly, the arrangement includes light-emitting means for

emitting at least one initial and at least one, but preferably two, subsequent

detection light beams from locations arranged at the corners of a triangle into

substantially vertically oriented upwardly conically diverging spatial sectors. The

reflecting means is associated with or on the implement for reflecting the light of

the respective detection light beam back to the respective location as the

implement passes through the respective spatial sector with an intensity that is in

a predetermined functional relationship when reaching the respective location to

the distance of the reflecting means from the same location and to the degree of

penetration of the reflecting means into the respective spatial sector. The

photosensitive means at each of the locations is operative for sensing the intensity

of the detection light returning to the location substantially only from the spatial

sector after having been reflected from the reflecting means during the passage

of the implement provided with the same through the respective spatial sector.

The determining or evaluating means is operative for detecting the peak of the

intensity of the returned light for use in determining the respective distances of

the implement from all of the locations, as well as the entry, exit and passage

times past such locations, and from that various parameters of the movement of

the implement including its speed and various angles assumed thereby while

moving in a path above the arrangement towards a ball encounter location. A particular advantage of the arrangement as described so far is that

the data collected thereby is sufficient to describe not only the various angles the

implement assumes as it moves in space during the critical phase of its

movement, but also the location of the movement path in space and the speed of

movement of the implement. These parameters are then sufficient to determine

the impact the encounter with the moving implement would have on a ball in an

actual game. This makes this arrangement eminently suitable for training players

of the game to improve their technique in a simulated environment, that is,

without actually hitting the ball.

A particularly advantageous aspect of the present invention is

achieved when the light-emitting means is operative for emitting the light beams

intermittently and in a predetermined sequence during a cycle of operation of the

arrangement. The evaluating means includes means for holding the value of the

measured intensity until the returned light intensity is measured again during the

next following cycle. In this context, it is further advantageous when the

evaluating means further includes means for comparing the values of the

measured intensity for each successive two of the cycles, and issuing a signal

representative of the immediately previously measured light intensity once the

comparison indicates a decrease in the measured intensity value. The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the

invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself,

however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with

additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the

following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the

accompanying

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a game or

training arrangement of the present invention in its condition of use;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of some of the electronic

components of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an electrical circuit schematic of part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sketch showing various parameters determined by the

arrangement;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing in a somewhat simplified fashion

a part of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the part of the training

arrangement of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the part of the training

arrangement of FIGS. 4 and 5, in its use condition as well;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating at its upper portion a time-

development representation of the degree of game implement visibility in the

vision field of one photosensitive element of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 to 7, and

at its lower portion a corresponding graphic representation of the dependence on

the output signal level of the one photosensitive element over time; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the game or

training arrangement of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and first to FIG. 1 thereof,

it may be seen that the reference numeral 10 has been used therein to identify a

game training arrangement of the present invention in its entirety. The game

training arrangement 10 will be discussed herein as being configured and used for

the purposes of training a baseball player, namely of improving his or her

performance at bat. However, it is to be understood that the present invention

can be used, with only minor modifications, if any, for training not only baseball

players, but also golfers and players of other sports or games in which the proper

handling of what will be referred to herein as a "game implement", e.g. , a bat, a club, a racquet or a similar hand-held element used to hit or otherwise contact

a ball or a similar moving or stationary object, is an important factor in the

successful performance of the player in the game.

The illustrated training arrangement 10 constitutes a part of an

overall system that is known as to its basic tenets and hence not, as such, the

subject of the present invention; therefore, this system will be described herein

only to the extent deemed to be necessary for proper understanding of the present

invention.

As revealed in some of the references cited above, the training

arrangement 10 of the present invention includes a display arrangement 20, such

as a movie projection screen, a television receiver, a monitor screen or the like.

The display arrangement 20 is typically used to prompt the player, e.g., to begin

his or her swing, either with text or visually by displaying the progress of a ball

image as it approaches the batter in training. The system also includes an

evaluation and/or control arrangement 30 that evaluates information gathered by

the training arrangement, usually correlates it with information describing the

path of movement of the ball as presented on the display arrangement prior to and

during the respective batter's swing, and presents results that are representative

of the batter's performance, usually in terms of where the ball, the movement of

which was displayed on or by the display arrangement in this simulated game, would have gone and would have landed in real life. Of course, for such

evaluation to be valid, the basic components of the system have to be in

communication with one another, be it through respective wire connections 32

and 34, via short-distance radio transmissions, or the like.

The training arrangement 10 includes a low profile support or

housing 11 that rests on the ground. The housing 11 should not rise too much

above the ground when in use (especially when used to teach the proper golfing

strikes). The housing could be round, triangular, hexagonal, oval, or any other

desired shape as seen from above in its position of use. In the baseball training

application described here, it is currently preferred, for practical as well as

aesthetic reasons, to give the housing 11 a configuration reminiscent of that of a

home base plate.

As mentioned before, the training arrangement 10 is to be used to

collect information concerning the movement of a game implement (in the given

example, a baseball bat) 12 during a movement thereof that simulates its

movement during an actual play or game toward encounter with an approaching

(in the case of golf or similar games, stationary) ball or other flying object, such

as a shuttlecock. To this end, the training arrangement is equipped with at least

one, and preferably a plurality of detecting devices 13.1 to 13. n, wherein n is any

desired positive integral number. In the illustrated example, there are three of such detecting devices designated as 13.1 to 13.3, which is currently considered

to be an optimum number for obtaining a set of results completely and reliably

describing the behavior of the bat 12 or similar game implement during its

aforementioned swinging or striking movement. The use of an additional one or

more of such detecting devices 13.1 to 13. n (in a rectangular or trapezoidal array

with the other devices 13.1 to 13.3) is also currently being contemplated.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the detecting devices 13.1 to

13.n is constructed as a doublet or transceiver that includes an emitter of light,

preferably in the infrared range, and a sensor or photodetector that is sensitive to

the light emitted by the light emitter but preferably to no other light, especially

to ambient light. Devices of this type are well known so that they need not be

described here in any detail. For example, reference may be had to U.S. Patent

Nos. 5,045,687; 5,369,270; 5,414,256; 5,442,168; 5,459,312; as well as to

allowed U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/248,434, filed May 24, 1994 and

No. 08/376, 113, filed January 20, 1995, for further descriptions of suitable

transceivers. All of said patents and applications are owned by the assignee of

the instant application, and their disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference

herein. Suffice it to say that the emitter may be a light-emitting diode (LED) or

even a laser, and that the photosensitive element or detector may as such be

sensitive over a wide range of wavelengths, but its sensitivity may be restricted to generally coincide with or embrace at least one wavelength issued by the

emitter by interposing a filter ahead of it as considered in the direction of

propagation of light toward its photosensitive sensor region.

As a comparison of FIG. 1 of the drawing with FIGS. 2 through 7

will indicate, the devices 13.1 to 13.3 are accommodated in the interior of the

housing 11 in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention. The light

emitters of the devices 13.1 to 13.3 issue respective light beams into emission

spaces that are indicated in the drawing in phantom lines as 14.1 to 14.3. Such

emission spaces 14.1 to 14.3 diverge, basically in a conical fashion from their

points of origin at the emitters of the devices 13.1 upwardly, at an angle θ from

a line substantially perpendicular to the plane along which the major dimensions

of the housing 11 extend (so that the overall spatial angle occupied by the

respective space such as 14.1 amounts to 2 θ). See FIG. 4, wherein

representative device 13. n generates a conical space 14. n of overall spatial angle

2 Θ.

The spaces 14.1 to 14.3 are also substantially coincident with and

overlap those constituting the fields of view or vision 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 of the

respective photodetectors of the devices 13.1 to 13.3. Again, see FIG. 4,

wherein representative field of vision 15.n is substantially coincident with space

14.n. Although the vision field 15.n is shown as being entirely within the space 14.n, the reverse could be true. In either event, the overlapping region, also

known as a spatial sector, occupies a volume of space having a known

configurational size. As a result of this, any of the light originating in the light-

emitting part of a respective one of the devices 13.1 that illuminates the bat 12

as it moves through the respective one of the overlapping spaces 13.1 to 13.3 and

fields of vision 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 and is reflected back from it, will reach the very

same device 13.1 to 13.3 and be detected by its photosensitive part, whereas any

stray scattered radiation bounced from the bat 12 will not be able to reach the

photosensitive part of any other of the detecting devices 13.2, 13.3 or 13.1,

respectively, since it would propagate toward it from a direction outside its field

of vision that coincides with the respective associated space 14.2, 14.3 or 14.1.

It is currently preferred to maximize the amount of light that is

retroreflected from the bat 12 as it passes through the respective space 14.1, 14.2

and/or 14.3 by providing the bat 12 with a highly reflective surface, or all over,

or at least on a predetermined surface region. A currently preferred way of

obtaining this high reflectivity is to use an aluminum bat, or to apply a type

7160W reflective tape 40 manufactured by the 3M company to the affected region

of the bat 12. Using this particular tape 40 has the additional advantage that the

intensity of the light that is reflected from the tape back to the respective

transmitter/receiver doublet 13.1, 13.2 or 13.3 is directly proportional to the

distance of the bat 12 from the housing 11 and to the area of the tape that is within the transmitted beam and within the vision field 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 of the

photosensitive receiving part of the respective doublet 13.1, 13.2 or 13.3, that is,

within the spatial angle 2 θ.

It would also be possible to use a regular colored (non-reflective)

surface of the bat 12 itself or of a coating, layer, or tape applied thereto for

returning the emitted sensing light back to the respective transceiver 13.1, 13.2

or 13.3, with similar results as far as the proportional dependence of the returned

light energy on the distance of the bat 12 from the housing 11 is concerned, but

then the distance over which the arrangement 10 would be able to discern would

be much shorter.

Furthermore, using different distances between the IR transmitter

part and the IR receiver part of the respective transceiver 13.1, 13.2 or 13.3, and

using different types of reflective tapes, than described above, may result in a

reflected energy that is not proportional to the distance of the implement or bat

12 from the housing 11. While this can be taken into account in the evaluation,

by using properly calibrated lookup tables or translation algorithms, the currently

preferred approach is that described initially, that is, that using a reflective tape

that gives the proportional dependence of the reflected light intensity as a function

of the distance from or elevation above the housing 11. Having so described the basic construction of the arrangement 10,

its operation will now be discussed in some detail, initially still with reference to

the simplified FIGS. 5 to 7 of the drawing considered in conjunction with one

another. As depicted there, the baseball bat 12 (held in the hands of a player, not

shown) may assume different positions relative to and above the housing 11 of the

training arrangement. As a matter of fact, the bat is caused by the player to

move above the housing 11 in a trajectory (from right to left in FIGS. 5 and 6,

from back to front in FIG. 7) and at a speed chosen by the player in an attempt

to hit the aforementioned image simulating an actual ball approach in a manner

which, if a real ball were involved, would send that ball to a region of the playing

field chosen by the player.

Of course, like in a real game, the intentions of the player and the

achieved result may differ drastically; yet, like in real life, so in the simulated

game, the path in which, and the distance to which, the ball travels or would

travel are unequivocally determined by several parameters: the point at which the

ball and the bat 12 meet each other, any spin that the ball may have, the speed at

which it travels toward the batter, the speed at which the bat 12 travels in its

trajectory just prior to meeting with the ball, an angle that the bat 12 encloses

with a normal to the direction of the pitch, an angle β that the trajectory of travel

of the bat 12 encloses with the horizontal, and an angle γ that the bat 12 encloses with the horizontal at the time of impact. Those of the above variables that are

related to the ball, such as its path of travel, its speed, and its spin, must be

guessed or evaluated by the player of the simulated game in the same manner as

they would be in a real game depending on the visual input to the player (i.e., the

projected image of an approaching ball or the like), whereas those relating to the

bat (i.e., its speed and the angles , β and γ) are chosen by the player based on

experience and, in some instances, personal habits or preferences, in the

simulated game the same as they would be in a real game.

Thus, it may be seen that the arrangement 10 enables the player to

have batting practice almost anywhere, and not necessarily on the actual baseball

field. To do that, though, the arrangement 10 by itself or in cooperation with the

other aforementioned components of the training arrangement must be capable of

providing the player with an accurate, preferably instantaneous, feedback as to

the results of the action taken, that is where the ball would have landed in an

actual game. For this desired high degree of real-time accuracy to be achieved,

it is imperative that the measurements taken by the arrangement 10 (that is, by

each and every one of its transceiver devices 13.1, 13.2 and 13.3) be as accurate

as possible within the realm of feasibility, both as to the distances being measured

and the time of the passage of the affected portion 40 of the bat 12 through the

vision fields 15.1 to 15.3 of the detection devices 13.1 to 13.3. One way in which such accurate distance measurement can be

accomplished in accordance with the present invention is indicated in FIG. 6 of

the drawing. As shown there, respective successive "snapshots" of the bat 12 (or

its affected, i.e. reflecting, region) are taken at predetermined intervals. As a

matter of fact, for the sake of simplicity, such snapshots are taken at regular

intervals of the respective vision field 15.n, whether or not the bat 12 is in it at

the particular time that the snapshot is taken. One way in which such snapshots

can be obtained is by pulsing or strobing the infrared light emanating from the

light-emitting part of the respective doublet 13. n. However, it is also possible for

such light-emitting part to issue its light on a continuous basis, and to achieve the

snapshot effect by sampling the intensity of the infrared radiation returning to the

respective doublet 13. n after having been reflected from the bat 12 or its affected

region.

Examples of the aforementioned snapshots taken as the bat 12 moves

through the respective vision field 15.n are shown in the upper part of FIG. 4,

whereas its lower part shows a graphic representation of the received reflected

light intensity as it changes from one snapshot to another, first going up and than

going down again as the area of the vision field "obscured" by the bat 12 or its

affected (reflecting) region initially increases and subsequently decreases.

Regardless of whether the snapshot is the result of pulsing the light source or sampling the electrical output signal of the respective photosensitive element that

corresponds to the intensity of the returned radiation, it has been found to be

advantageous for the sampled level of the electrical output signal to be held at the

measured value of the particular sample until the value of the next successive

sample is determined. This approach employs a control processor 30 (see FIG.

3) comprised of electrical or electronic components and circuitry that are well

known to those versed in the electrical field. For example, reference may be had

to the above-identified patents and allowed applications for details of the control

processor, as well as to another allowed U.S. Patent Application Serial No.

08/297,266, filed August 26, 1994, also incorporated by reference herein, for

details of a suitable control processor whose output signal is proportional to the

intensity of the detected light.

This approach results in the stepped behavior of the measured

parameter (usually the voltage of the output signal of the photosensitive element)

that is depicted in FIG. 8 at 15, rendering it easy to determine not only the peak

value of such parameter by comparing the successive step values and recording

the latest value achieved before the parameter value started to decrease, but also

the effective time such peak value was reached, be it the beginning or the end of

the respective preceding measuring time period or any point in time in between,

so long as such point in time is chosen in a consistent manner for each of the detecting devices 13.1 to 13. n. Of course, the precision with which the value of

the respective parameter, that is light intensity or time, is determined depends on

the relative dimensions of the successive steps which, in turn, are determined by

the sampling rate: the higher this rate, the more of the steps in a given time, the

lesser the magnitude of the intensity increments from one step to another, and

ultimately the lesser the likely deviation of the actual peak intensity value from

the highest measured intensity value.

However, there is a point of diminishing returns beyond which any

advantages obtained from increasing the precision by reducing the size of the

steps are more than outweighed by the effect of other factors, such as fluctuations

in the intensity of the issued light, possibility of interference from stray radiation

from other sources, and even those relating to the complexity and longevity, and

hence cost, of the equipment. In view of this, it is currently preferred to use in

the respective devices 13.1 to 13.n IR radiation sources that are capable of being

rapidly turned on to full capacity and off again, and to activate them one after

another in a predetermined sequence, such that only one of them issues any

meaningful amount of light at any given time. Very good results have been

obtained by cycling though three light sources once every 60 μsecs

(microseconds), and activating each of them for about 3 μsecs each time its turn

comes up, with a pause intervening between each successive two of the ensuing light pulses. The pause includes a 15 μsecs waiting time to measure the returning

light and a 2 μsecs evaluation time. This, of course, means that the length of

each step expressed in time terms is 60 μsec, and so is the maximum amount of

inaccuracy in the determination of the time at which the intensity of the reflected

light has actually peaked.

It will be appreciated that this relatively short cycling time also keeps

the size of the detected intensity increments, and hence the maximum inaccuracy

in the detection of the actual maximum intensity, relatively small, merely a

minuscule fraction of the parameter being measured, i.e., the intensity or power

of the IR radiation that is reflected from the bat or similar game or sports

implement 12. This means that this inaccuracy has only a negligible, if any,

effect, on the accuracy of the end result of the determination process, i.e. the

value of the distance from the respective device 13.n at which the implement 12

passes through the associated vision field 15.n. It may be perceived from

observation of the upper portion of FIG. 8 of the drawing that the area of the

implement 12 that is visible to the respective device 13.n at any time (and hence

the intensity of the light reflected from the implement 12 and reaching the device

13.n) increases as the implement 12 approaches the centerline of the vision field

(irrespective of the angles , β and γ) and decreases as it subsequently moves

away from such centerline, i.e. , with the "visible length" of the implement. It goes without saying that the detected reflected light intensity also

depends on the "visible width" of the implement 12 (or of its reflecting region).

This variable, though, is a function of the distance of the implement from the

respective device 13.n (the greater the distance, the smaller the spatial angle

occupied by the implement 12 within the field of view 15.n when the implement

12 is fully visible within the respective vision field 15.n), so that the intensity of

the detected returning radiation is inversely proportionate to the distance of the

implement 12 from the device 13.n, again irrespective of the angles , β and γ.

This, of course, presupposes that the spatial distribution of the IR radiation

reflected (or scattered) from the implement 12 is substantially uniform over the

contemplated ranges of such angles; this, however, can be quite easily

accomplished in the manner mentioned before, i.e., by using the appropriate kind

of reflective tape 40 of the like on the affected region of the implement 12.

Once the requisite parameters (i.e., the distance, that is the height

of passage of the implement 12 over the housing 11, on the one hand, and the

time of passage of the implement 12 through the respective vision field 15.n, on

the other hand) have been determined with the required degree of precision for

each of the three transceiver devices 13.1, 13.2 and 13.3, the next step is to

calculate the speed of the implement 12 and its trajectory of movement. Once

these values are known, they can be used in a manner that will be discussed later to predict the trajectory of the fictitious ball after its encounter with the

implement 12.

The trajectory parameter and speed calculations are made using the

following equations:

H1 +H2+H3

H-

27

V=-

77+72

H2+H3

-HI tanβ:

_ (T2-T1)V tanα

X

tanγ= H2-H3

X

wherein HI, H2 and H3 are the heights of the implement 12 above the respective

devices 13.1, 13.2 and 13.3 as determined from the measured intensities using

either lookup tables or an approximation function, H is the average height, X is

the distance between the centers of the photosensors of the devices 13.2 and 13.3,

Y is the distance between the line connecting the centers of the photosensors of the devices 13.2 and 13.3 and the center of the photosensor of the device 13.1,

Tl is the time elapsed between the passage of the implement 12 above the centers

of the photosensors of the devices 13.1 and 13.2, T2 is the time elapsed between

the passage of the implement 12 above the centers of the photosensors of the

devices 13.1 and 13.3, V is the average speed of the implement 12, is the

azimuth angle of the implement 12 as it passes by the devices 13.2 and 13.3, β

is the elevation angle of the trajectory of the implement 12 as it moves from the

device 13.1 to the devices 13.2 and 13.3, and γ is the inclination angle of the

implement 12 (bat) as it moves in its trajectory.

It will be appreciated that, while the factors that determine the path

of the ball (actual or virtual) after its encounter with the game implement are

many and varied, the azimuth angle β plays an important role in determining

whether the ball will go into the left, center or right field, whereas the elevation

angle α has much to do, together with the exact point of impact of the ball on the

surface of the implement 12 (which is round in the case of the bat), with the rate

at which the ball is lifted (or grounded) after the impact, and hence with the

distance traveled by the ball for a given speed of the implement 12.

The way the calculated values of the speed and various angles of the

implement 12 are coordinated with the data signaling the parameters of approach

movement of the pretend ball to obtain corresponding values for the movement of such ball after its encounter with the implement 12 is not the subject of the

present invention and, hence, will not be discussed here in any detail. Suffice it

to say that the trajectory of movement of the simulated ball after it had been hit

by the implement 12 is calculated with a high degree of verisimilitude based on

information obtained from actual playing of the game, so that the data obtained

from the simulated (training) sessions have applicability to real-game situations

and can be relied upon for training purposes with assurance that good results in

training will be translated into equally good results in the field or on similar

playing grounds.

It has been found in practice that the light intensity of the spatial

sector is not uniform over its entire cross-section and, hence, the peak intensity

may not be at the center line. In a currently preferred embodiment, it is known

in advance exactly what the height, width and depth dimensions are of the spatial

sector. The controller 30 (see FIG. 3) pulses each emitter in turn and receives

a return signal from the respective sensor. If the bat 12 is not in the spatial

sector, then there is no return signal or reflections.

As soon as the bat enters the spatial sector (see FIG. 4), an entry

time t_x is determined, because the controller notes the time when the return signal

has been received. Similarly, as soon as the bat leaves the spatial sector, an exit time ^ is determined, because the controller notes the time when the return signal

is no longer being received.

Intermediate the entry and exit times, the controller is noting the

light intensity level of the output signal for each measuring cycle (60 μsecs). If

the current level is greater than the previous level, then the current level is stored

as the "peak" level. In this way, it is assured that the maximum or peak level

over the cross-section of the sector will be obtained.

This peak is then correlated with an elevation or height distance of

the bat relative to the housing. This correlation can be generated by an

algorithm, or preferably in a look-up table stored in a memory accessible to the

controller 30.

The peak determines the height of the bat, and this height, together

with the entry and exit times, is used to calculate the speed of the bat. Thus, one

transceiver and light beam are used to determine both bat height and speed.

If two transceivers are used, such as transceivers 13.2 and 13.3

which are co-linearly arranged in a transverse row in FIG. 5, then the

aforementioned azimuth and inclination angles and γ can also be determined.

If the two transceivers are co-linearly arranged, one forwardly of

another, in a row, then the aforementioned elevation angle β can also be

determined. If three transceivers are arranged as shown in FIG. 5, then all three

azimuth, elevation and inclination angles can be determined.

In another embodiment, a single transceiver can be used to not only

determine the bat height as previously noted, but also whether the swing is

upward or downward. The peak time is compared to the entry time. The closer

the peak time is to the entry time, the more upward the angle of the swing.

Conversely, the closer the peak time is to the exit time, the more downward the

angle of the swing. If two transceivers are used in this embodiment, and are

arranged in a row, such as transceivers 13.2 and 13.3, then all three

aforementioned angles can be determined.

Turning now to FIG. 9, a player holds an opague bat 12' above a

housing 11 ' in which three light emitters are arranged. In contrast to FIG. 1, the

corresponding light sensors are not mounted on the housing, but instead, are

mounted on an overhead support such as the ceiling or a batting cage.

As the bat 12' is swung, a shadow is cast over the field of view of

the respective sensors. As before, the entry and exit times for the bat are

determined as it enters and leaves each light beam. However, rather than

determining the maximum or peak light intensity, the FIG. 9 embodiment

measures the minimum or valley light intensity. As before, the same azimuth,

inclination and elevation angles can be determined. In another variant of the FIG. 9 embodiment, the sensors could be

mounted alongside their respective emitters on the housing 11. In this case,

reflectors would be mounted on the overhead support.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or

two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of

constructions differing from the type described above.

While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein

as embodied in a specific construction of apparatus for training baseball players

in the proper use of the bat, it is not limited to the details of this particular

construction, since various modifications and structural changes may be made

without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist

of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily

adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the

standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or

specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are

intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the

following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent

is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. An arrangement for determining the path and speed of

movement of a moving implement, comprising:

a) a support;

b) means on the support for generating an optical spatial

sector extending away from the support along a longitudinal direction, and having

a cross-sectional dimension along a transverse direction normal to said

longitudinal direction, said cross-sectional dimension being known along the

longitudinal direction; and

c) means for optically detecting the longitudinal distance

of the moving implement relative to the support and the speed of the moving

implement through the spatial sector, said detecting means including means for

determining an entry time when the implement entered the spatial sector, an exit

time when the implement exited the spatial sector, and an intensity of light

corresponding to the longitudinal distance relative to the support.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the generating

means includes light-emitting means for emitting at least one light beam.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 2, and further comprising

reflecting means associated with the implement, and wherein the detecting means

includes photosensitive means on the support for sensing the intensity of light reflected by the reflecting means, and wherein said determining means is

operative for determining the peak of the intensity of the reflected light, said peak

intensity corresponding to the longitudinal distance of the implement relative to

the support.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein the detecting

means includes photosensitive means remote from the support for directly

receiving the light beam, and wherein said determining means is operative for

determining the valley of the intensity of the light received by the photosensitive

means and blocked by the implement, said valley intensity corresponding to the

longitudinal distance of the implement relative to the support.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 3, wherein the generating

means includes another light-emitting means arranged in a row and spaced from

the first-mentioned light-emitting means, each light-emitting means being

operative for emitting respective light beams spaced apart of each other; and

wherein said determining means is operative for determining the peak time at

which the peak intensity occurred, and for determining whether the peak time is

closer to the entry time or the exit time.

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein the generating

means includes still another light-emitting means spaced transversely of the first

two light-emitting means arranged in a row, said still another light-emitting means being operative for emitting a respective light beam spaced apart from the

first two light beams, and wherein said determining means is operative for

determining azimuth, elevation and inclination angles of the implement as the

implement moves through the light beams.

7. An arrangement for use in training players of a game during

a simulated game session in the correct use of a game implement that has to be

moved properly during an actual game to encounter an object and impart to the

latter a desired trajectory of movement after impacting the same, comprising:

a) light-emitting means for emitting at least one initial and

one subsequent detection light beam from predetermined locations into

substantially vertically oriented spatial sectors;

b) reflecting means associated with the implement for

reflecting the light of the respective detection light beam back to the respective

predetermined location as the implement passes through the respective spatial

sector with an intensity that is in a predetermined functional relationship when

reaching the respective predetermined location to the distance of said reflecting

means from the same predetermined location and to the degree of penetration of

the reflecting means into the respective spatial sector;

c) photosensitive means at each of the predetermined

locations for sensing the intensity of the detection light returning to said predetermined location substantially only from said spatial sector after having

been reflected from said reflecting means during the passage of the implement

provided with the same through the respective spatial sector; and

d) evaluating means for detecting the peak of the intensity

of the returned light and the time at which such peak had occurred at each of the

predetermined locations for use in determining the respective distances of the

implement from all of the predetermined locations and the times of passage

thereof past such predetermined locations and from that various parameters of the

movement of the implement including its speed and various angles assumed

thereby while moving in a path above the arrangement towards an object

encounter location.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein there are two

subsequent detector light beams, and wherein said predetermined locations are

arranged at the corners of a triangle on a housing.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said housing

has a low-profile configuration and has a base mounted on the ground.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said

light-emitting means is operative for emitting said light beams intermittently and

in a predetermined sequence during a cycle of operation of the arrangement; and

wherein said evaluation means includes means for holding the value of the measured intensity until the returned light intensity is measured again during the

next following cycle.

11. The arrangement as defined in claim 10, wherein said

evaluating means further includes means for comparing the values of the

measured intensity for each successive two of the cycles, and issuing a signal

representative of the immediately previously measured light intensity once the

comparison indicates a decrease in the measured intensity value.

12. The arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein each spatial

sector has an upwardly conically diverging configuration.

13. The arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein the game

implement is elongated, and wherein the reflecting means is located on an outer

end region of the elongated implement.

14. The arrangement as defined in claim 7, and further comprising

a display means for displaying an image of the object during the game session.

15. An arrangement for use in training players of a game during

a simulated game session in the correct use of a game implement that has to be

moved properly during an actual game to encounter a ball and impart to the latter

a desired trajectory of movement after impacting the same, comprising:

a) light-emitting means for emitting at least one initial and

two subsequent detection light beams from locations arranged at the corners of a triangle into substantially vertically oriented upwardly conically diverging

spatial sectors;

b) reflecting means on the implement for reflecting the

light of the respective detection light beam back to the respective location as the

the distance of said reflecting means from the same location and to the degree of

penetration of the reflecting means into the respective spatial sector;

c) photosensitive means at each of the locations for sensing

the intensity of the detection light returning to said location substantially only

from said spatial sector after having been reflected from said reflecting means

during the passage of the implement provided with the same through the

respective spatial sector; and

d) evaluating means for detecting the peak of the intensity

location for use in determining the respective distances of the implement from all

of the locations and the times of passage thereof past such locations and from that

various parameters of the movement of the implement including its speed and

various angles assumed thereby while moving in a path above the arrangement

towards a ball encounter location.

16. The arrangement as defined in claim 15, wherein said light-

emitting means is operative for emitting said light beams intermittently and in a

predetermined sequence during a cycle of operation of the arrangement; and

wherein said evaluating means includes means for holding the value of the

next following cycle.

17. The arrangement as defined in claim 16, wherein said

evaluating means further includes means for comparing the values of the

measured intensity for each successive two of the cycles, and issuing a signal

representative of the immediately previously measured light intensity once the

comparison indicates a decrease in the measured intensity value.